Ball cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for cleaning golf balls and the like combines a pair of cleansing brushes rotatable in opposite directions at different speeds with a means for placing the balls one after the other between the rotating brushes which includes a hopper having a rotatable drum to prevent bridging of balls therein and an open runway between the hopper and brushes having a means which deflects the ball entering the space between the brushes more firmly against the faster rotating brush than the other to avoid rejection of the ball by the oppositely rotating brushes.

ilhited States Patent [191 Gustatson 1 May 22, 1973 [54] BALL CLEANING APPARATUS [76] Inventor: August W. Gustafsou, 350 Pasadena Znmary i i 'g i i Roberts Place, Corpus Christi, Tex. 78411 twmey e e PC um [22] Filed: Nov. 23, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 201,512 An apparatus for cleaning golf balls and the like combines a pair of cleansing brushes rotatable in opposite [52] U S Cl 15/21 A 198/62 221/162 directions at different speeds with a means for placing [51] A63b 47/04 the balls one after the other between the rotating [58] Field of Search A 97 brushes which includes a hopper having a rotatable 1 5 drum to prevent bridging of balls therein and an open runway between the hopper and brushes having a means which deflects the ball entering the space [56] References cued between the brushes more firmly against the faster UNITED STATES PATENTS rotating brush than the other to avoid rejection of the ball by the oppositely rotating brushes. 1,974,185 9/1934 Heisser ..l5/21 A 2,016,110 10/1935 Heisser ..l5/21 A 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BALL CLEANING APPARATUS This invention relates generally to cleansing apparatus for balls and similar spherical objects and more particularly to an apparatus for washing golf balls.

It is the practice at golf ball driving ranges to recover the driven balls with an apparatus adapted to pick up balls lying on the ground and deposit them in a basket or other receptacle. The recovered balls frequently have blades of grass, twigs, dirt and other foreign material clinging to them which must be removed before they are used again. Some of the balls have grass stains or similar stains which are difficult to remove.

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus adapted to wash and polish golf balls. Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted to clean rapidly large quantities of golf balls with a minimum amount of attention. Still another object of the invention is to provide means for rolling balls along a runway in single file from a hopper into the space between cleansing brushes or into containers or any other apparatus. A still further object of the invention is to combine a means for placing balls one after the other between cleansing brushes with a means for ejecting clean balls from between the brushes.

Other objects will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cleansing brushes and drive mechanism removed from the remainder of the apparatus for the purpose of illustration;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view of apparatus which directs balls between cleansing brushes and ejects the cleansed balls therefrom.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, vertically disposed longitudinally spaced bars and 11 are rigidly secured to opposite ends of upper horizontal bar 12 and lower horizontal bar 13 to form one rectangularly shaped side of a frame 14. A similar rectangularly shaped opposite side is composed of longitudinally spaced vertical bars 10a and 11a and horizontally spaced upper and lower bars 12a and 13a. The two sides are rigidly secured to opposite ends of upper bars 15 and 15a and lower bars 16 and 16a to complete the supporting frame structure 14. Tubular steel stock, rectangular in cross-section, may be welded together to form the frame 14. The base of frame 14 rests on a sump 17. Frame 14 may be welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the walls of sump 17 or it may rest on an annular angle iron shelf rigidly secured to the inner surface of the walls of sump 17.

Vertical bars 11 and 11a extend above bars 12 and 12a and form vertical frame members for a hopper l8. Hopper 18 has substantially vertical sidewalls l9 and 20 rigidly secured at their forward ends to bars 11 and 11a and a closed rear end wall 21 rigidly secured to suitable upright frame members and to a bottom 22. The bottom 22 is secured at its forward end to bar 15a and is inclined upwardly therefrom towards rear end wall 21 to encourage a spherical object such as a golf ball to roll towards the forward or exit end 23. A

groove 24, rectangular in cross-section, extends throughout the length of bottom 22 along its longitudinal axis. Bottom 22 is inclined downwardly from sidewalls 19 and 20 to trough or groove 24 at an acute angle below horizontal to encourage golf balls to roll towards the center of hopper 18 and into trough 24. Trough 24 is slightly larger in cross-section than the maximum diameter of a golf ball.

The top panel 68 of forward end wall 23 of hopper 18 spans bars 11 and 11a and extends for only a short distance below the open top of hopper 18. Relatively narrow side panels 60 and 61 are secured to bars 11 and 11a to provide a partial front wall 23. The side panels combine with the top panel 68 to enclose a rectangularly shaped opening which is substantially closed by a substantially ellipsoidal shaped rotatable brush 84. As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 brush 34 has a cylindrical drum 56 which is rigidly secured to a shaft 57 which extends longitudinally through drum 56. The ends of shaft 57 are journaled for rotation in bearings 58 and 58a rigidly secured to the side panels 60 and 61. A pair of diametrically opposite rods 59 and 59a are rigidly secured to the peripheral surface of drum 56. A web of fabric or other suitable backing having plastic filaments projecting therefrom is wound about drum 56 and rods 59 and 59a to form a brush which completely fills the opening between the top panel 68 and side panels 60 and 61 and the end of bottom 22 just above trough 24. Those portions adjacent rods 59 and 59a project into hopper 18 as brush 84 rotates as shown in FIG. 1. The brush 84 is rotated so the bulges on the surface of the brush move upwardly through the forward end of hopper 18 and strike balls in the hopper from below to break up any bridging of balls above trough 24.

Referring to FIG. 2, a disc 25 is rigidly secured to one end of a hollow shaft 26 journaled for rotation in laterally spaced bearings 27 and 28 rigidly secured to a panel secured to the upper surface of member 12 of frame 14. A sheave 29 is rigidly secured to shaft 26 at a point intermediate bearing 28 and plate 25.

A metal disc 30 has an annular flange 31 disposed about the peripheral edge of disc 25 when the two discs are assembled together. Disc 30 has a centrally disposed bore 32 therethrough. A nut 33 is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the face of disc 30 about bore 32. A rod 34 extends through shaft 26 with its head 35 disposed against the free end of shaft 26 and its opposite end threadably secured in nut 33 to secure discs 30 and 25 together in face to face relationship.

A circular brush 36 is secured to the face of disc 30 with its centrally disposed opening about nut 33. Brush 36 may be advantageously a fabric or wire mesh disc having a plurality of plastic bristle-like filaments secured thereto. Any suitable plastic or resin may be used for the filaments such as, for example, polyamide, polyurethane or acrylic polymers. The brush may, for example, be cut fro an artificial grass mat having nylon filaments of the kind sold commercially by the Monsanto Company under the trademark Astro-Turf. The brush surface for drum 56 may be cut from a similar material.

A disc 25a is rigidly secured to one end of hollow shaft 260 journaled for rotation in laterally spaced bearings 27a and 28a rigidly secured to a panel mounted on member 12a of frame 14. A sheave 29a is rigidly secured to shaft 26a at a point intermediate bearing 28a and plate 25a.

A metal disc 30a has an annular flange 31a disposed about the peripheral edge of disc a and has a centrally disposed bore 32a therethrough. A nut 33a is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the face of disc a about bore 32a. A rod 34a extends through shaft 26a with its head 35a disposed against the free end of shaft 26a and its opposite end threadably secured in nut 330.

A circular brush 36a similar to brush 36 is secured to the face of disc 30a with its centrally disposed opening about nut 33a.

As shown in FIG. 2, wheels 25 and 25a are spaced laterally from each other with brushes 36 and 36a in face to face relationship and spaced from each other a distance less than the maximum diameter of a golf ball.

As shown best in FIGS. 1 and 5, a rod 37 is rigidly secured at one end to the center of the free edge of the bottom of trough 24 and projects outwardly therefrom. The rod 37 slopes downwardly towards wheels 25 and 25a at substantially the same angle as bottom 22. Rods 38 and 39 are rigidly secured to the outer surface of the sidewalls of trough 24 near their juncture with the sloping panels of bottom 22. The three rods 37, 38 and 39 combine to form an inverted triangularly shaped open runway for golf balls rolling from the open end of trough 24. Rods 38 and 39 are rigidly secured at their opposite ends to the end of a semi-oval housing 41. Housing 41 is rigidly secured with cars 42 and 43 to a cross-bar 44 which spans bars 12 and 12a and is rigidly secured thereto. Rod 37 extends through housing 41 and is anchored in an opening through cross-bar 44. An elongated spoon shaped member has the general shape of one-half of a longitudinally split cone with its base integral with housing 41 and its apex adjacent the peripheral edges of wheels 25 and 25a. As best shown in FIG. 1 and 5, spoon-like guide member 40 not only inclines downwardly but also bends towards brush 36. A somewhat higher edge adjacent brush 36a than adjacent brush 36 combines with the distorted bottom to deflect a golf ball rolling over the concave surface of member 40 against the filaments of brush 36 and embed it more firmly therein than in brush 360. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 brush 36 is rotated so it is moving downwardly adjacent member 40. A strip 88 extends from just below member 40 around the peripheral edges of wheels 25 and 25a to a point above frame 14 to prevent balls from falling from between brushes 36 and 360. A trough 45 is attached at one end to frame 14 just below forward end wall 23 of hopper 18 and is inclined downwardly below brushes 36 and 36a to a point beyond the peripheral edges of wheels 25 and 25a. A screening or filter box 46 disposed below the end of trough 45 and in sump 17 may rest on a shelf on the wall of sump 17 or be secured thereto. That part of the top of box 46 directly below the end of trough 45 is covered with a screen. A vertical baffle 47 separates box 46 into two compartments. A slot 46a in the sidewall of box 46 disposed vertically from the bottom of the box permits liquid to flow from the box 46 into sump 17.

A suitable sump pump 48 is disposed in sump 17. A conduit 49 such as a plastic hose leads from pump 48 to a four-way fitting 50. A conduit 51 extends from fitting to the rear end of hopper 18 and is attached to a tube 52 which extends into trough 24. A third conduit 53 extends upwardly from fitting 50 to a tube 54 which extends through the front end wall 23. A perforated pipe is connected to the end of tube 54 and is horizontally disposed across the front of hopper 18 to direct water or other liquid carried by conduit 53 as a spray over golf balls in hopper 18. A fourth conduit 55 extends from fitting 50 upwardly about the outer peripheral edges of wheels 25 and 25a. Conduit 55 extends through strip 88 and directs liquid downwardly between the top edges of brushes 36 and 36a.

An ejector finger 62 is integral with the forward curved edge of housing 41 and projects into the space between brushes 36 and 36a. Finger 62 is preferably concave in cross-section and bends slightly towards brush 36a. A ball carried downwardly between brushes 36 and 36a strikes finger 62 and is urged towards the upwardly turning brush 36a which tends to spin the ball from between the brushes. The ejected ball rolls down the sloping surface of finger 62 and into an inclined chute 63 disposed between finger 62 and a suitable container for the ejected balls.

An electric motor 64 is mounted on a base rigidly secured to bars 13 and 16a. A belt 65 is looped about a sheave on the drive shaft of motor 64 and a triple sheave having a larger sheave 66 between two smaller sheaves 67. A sheave 69 is rigidly secured to a shaft 70 journaled for rotation in a bearing 71 rigidly secured to vertical bar 72a which is rigidly secured at one end to bar 12a and at the other end to bar 13a. Double belts 73 and 73a are looped about sheaves 66 and 69. A belt 74 is looped about a second sheave 75 rigidly secured to shaft 70 and sheave 29a.

A gear 76 is rigidly secured to the end of shaft 70 and meshes with pinion 77. Pinion 77 rotates about one end of a pin which is secured at its other end in housing 68. Bar 86 secures housing 68 against rotation. A second gear 78 is rigidly secured to one end of shaft 79 and meshes with pinion 77. A sheave 80 is rigidly secured to shaft 79 which is journaled for rotation in a bearing 81 rigidly secured to a bar 72. Bar 72 is rigidly secured at its ends to bars 12 and 13. A belt 82 is looped about sheave 80 and sheave 29. Sheave 90 is rigidly secured to shaft 26a and a belt 83 is looped about sheave 90 and a sheave 85 rigidly secured to shaft 57 to rotate drum 56.

In operation, rotation of belts 65, 73, 73a and 74 rotates shaft 26a and disc 25a in a clockwise direction with the peripheral edge of disc 25a adjacent member 40 rotating upwardly. Shaft 70 and gear 76 are also rotated clockwise. Gear 78, however, is rotated by pinion 77 in an opposite direction so shaft 79 is rotated in a direction opposite to that of shaft 70. Consequently, shaft 26 rotates in a direction opposite to shaft 26a and disc 25 and brush 36 are rotated in a downward direction adjacent member 40. The diameters of sheaves 75 and 80 are coordinated so that disc 25 rotates faster than disc 25a. Brush 36 is moving downwardly adjacent member 40 and golf balls rolling from member 40 will become first engaged by the filaments of brush 36 and will later be carried between brushes 36 and 36a in a counter-clockwise direction because disc 25 rotates at a greater RPM than disc 25a. Wobble drum 56 is simultaneously rotated clockwise so its bulged portions move upwardly in hopper 18.

With the apparatus operating as just described, golf balls to be cleaned are charged into hopper l8 and roll forward in trough 24. Any golf balls which bridge trough 24 are broken apart by wobble drum 56 and fall into trough 24. The balls roll from trough 24 over rod 37 and over member 40 which deflects them against the filaments of brush 36. The balls are held between the oppositely turning brushes 36 and 36a which spin them against the brushes filaments as they are carried around to finger 62. Finger 62 intercepts the balls and the ejected balls roll out of the apparatus through chute 63.

Water or other cleaning liquid is pumped from sump 17 through conduit 51 to hopper 18 to wash away grass and dirt on balls in trough 24. Cleaning liquid is also sprayed over the balls in hopper 18 through the perforated pipe on fitting 54. More cleaning fluid is sprayed from conduit 55 over the balls as they are rotated by brushes 36 and 36a. The liquid which does not cling to the balls is caught by trough 45 and dumped into sump 17 through the screen of box 46 to remove grass, stones, etc., washed from the golf balls.

Housing 41, finger 62 and member 40 may be a single casting. The desired substantially elliptical crosssection of drum 56 may be obtained conveniently by welding rods to the surface of a cylindrical drum as described above but if desired a drum cast to the desired shape may be used. Alternately, a hollow drum may be formed by securing sheet metal around a frame having the desired cross-section. Although brushes 36 and 36a may have bristles or hairs, it is preferred to cut the brushes from mats of plastic filaments as described above because the filaments remain rigid when wet and wear longer than bristle brushes. Recirculation of cleaning fluid from a sump is economically advantageous but of course, the apparatus may be-connected to a source of water under pressure and used only once.

Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention except as it may be limited by the claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for cleaning balls comprising a pair of spaced rotatable brushes disposed in face to face relationship, means for rotating the brushes in opposite directions with a differential in speed, means for feeding balls between the brushes comprising a hopper and guide means for directing balls first against the brush rotating downwardly adjacent the guide means, means for wetting the balls as they are rotated by the brushes, and means for ejecting the balls from between the brushes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for feeding the balls comprises a hopper having a bottom inclined downwardly towards the brushes, a bottom having a centrally disposed trough extending longitudinally through the hopper, said trough having a crosssection greater than the maximum diameter of the said ball and an open lower end, a rotatable drum having a non-circular cross-section in the hopper above the trough, and means for rotating the drum to strike balls in the hopper above the trough.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the said drum has a mat of filaments over its surface.

4. In an apparatus having oppositely rotating brushes in face to face relationship adapted to carry a ball therebetween as they rotate, means for placing a ball therebetween and for removing it from therebetween which comprises a runway for balls in single file one after the other, a tunnel-like housing enclosing one end of the runway, and an obliquely downwardly extending chute extending from the bottom of the housing and projecting between the brushes, a finger-like member integral with the top of the housing and projecting between the brushes above the chute, said member having a concave cross'section with its edge adjacent the brush which is rotating upwardly with respect thereto being higher than its opposite edge whereby balls striking the member are spun from between the brushes and into a chute communicating with the said member. 

1. An apparatus for cleaning balls comprising a pair of spaced rotatable brushes disposed in face to face relationship, means for rotating the brushes in opposite directions with a differential in speed, means for feeding balls between the brushes comprising a hopper and guide means for directing balls first against the brush rotating downwardly adjacent the guide means, means for wetting the balls as they are rotated by the brushes, and means for ejecting the balls from between the brushes.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for feeding the balls comprises a hopper having a bottom inclined downwardly towards the brushes, a bottom having a centrally disposed trough extending longitudinally through the hopper, said trough having a cross-section greater than the maximum diameter of the said ball and an open lower end, a rotatable drum having a non-circular cross-section in the hopper above the trough, and means for rotating the drum to strike balls in the hopper above the trough.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the said drum has a mat of filaments over its surface.
 4. In an apparatus having oppositely rotating brushes in face to face relationship adapted to carry a ball therebetween as they rotate, means for placing a ball therebetween and for removing it from therebetween which comprises a runway for balls in single file one after the other, a tunnel-like housing enclosing one end of the runway, and an obliquely downwardly extending chute extending from the bottom of the housing and projecting between the brushes, a finger-like member integral with the top of the housing and projecting between the brushes above the chute, said member having a concave cross-section with its edge adjacent the brush which is rotating upwardly with respect thereto being higher than its opposite edge whereby balls striking the member are spun from between the brushes and into a chute communicating with the said member. 